CPS Energy’s CEO Rudy Garza is leaving the San Antonio utility to lead the Lower Colorado River Authority, the agency announced in a press release Monday.
Garza has led CPS Energy since 2021, when he was named interim CEO after Paula Gold-Williams left the role in the aftermath of Winter Storm Uri. He was named to the position on a permanent basis in August 2022.
The Lower Colorado River Authority manages water and electricity around the Colorado River in Central Texas.
“Texas continues to grow, and the demands on LCRA increase with it. I am ready to get to work, and I could not ask for a better team to do it with,” Garza said in a press release from the LCRA.
He’ll be the 12th general manager of the agency.
CPS Energy board chair Francine Romero thanked Garza for his work at the utility. He worked for CPS Energy for 12 years in a variety of positions and was the company’s first Hispanic CEO.
CPS Energy will hold a special board meeting Thursday to discuss the succession process. It is unclear whether there will be a search or an internal candidate would slot into the role. Garza’s salary was increased to $742,000 in 2024.
Garza led the utility after COVID-19-related revenue losses and Winter Storm Uri caused widespread blackouts.
More recently, though, he ran afoul of San Antonio City Council members while discussing rate increases. Council members pushed back after CPS Energy presented a budget that included a shortfall and, council members said, assumed a rate increase. That discussion came as council members considered changing costs for water and local property taxes.
The City of San Antonio owns CPS Energy and has the final say on rate adjustments.
CPS Energy backed down and said it would take another look at its budget after the summer. Now, it will do so without Garza.
